Nick Cannon Reveals ‘Heavy Guilt’ Over Not Spending Enough Time With Late Son Zen After His Passing

Nick Cannon opened up about the loss of his late son, Zen, and how he’s still grieving him months after his death. 

Nick, 41, and Alyssa Scott, 28, welcomed their baby boy Zen in June 2021. Alyssa revealed in January on her Instagram that the pair knew since August how Zen’s time was “limited” because of a brain tumor. Zen died just five months later, in December 2021.

“One thing that keeps me up at night, there’s this heavy, heavy guilt with the fact that I didn’t get to spend time — like I really wanted to — with Zen,” the talk show host said in a podcast therapy session with Dr. Laura Berman that was aired on The Nick Cannon Show. “I walk around with a backpack full of guilt. But at least I know that the harder that I work then it makes the guilt easier to deal with.”

The California native went on to say that he feels “guilty for not being there every day” for his other children who are of a similar age. “I’m guilty that the mothers of my children yearn for more, and I can only give them so much.” 

Before sharing the excerpt of his session with Dr. Berman on the show, Nick told viewers, “I am a work in progress and therapy has been an important tool in helping learn and grow and navigate through my unconventional personal life.”

Nick is also a father to Moroccan and Monroe, 10-year-old twins with ex-wife Mariah Carey. He also shares two children with Brittany Bell, Golden, 4, and Powerful, 1. Most recently, the daytime host welcomed twins Zion and Zillion with Abby De La Rosa in June of last year and is now expecting his eighth child with Breana Tiesi. 

The Wild ’n Out host addressed the mothers involved with his children earlier this month on the talk show, saying, “I promise you, I promise the mothers of my children, I promise my family that I [will] do better and continue to be more understanding, caring, compassionate, like they often show me each and every day.”